It's the content, stupid

When the facts are with you, argue the facts. When the facts are against you, argue the law. At the risk of Perry Masonizing, it seems a case of denial is playing out in the legacy media and it's an open-shut case. The Associated Press reports:

In TV's worst spring in recent memory, a startling number of Americans drifted away from television the past two months: More than 2.5 million fewer people were watching ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox than at the same time last year, statistics show.

Blame technology: DVRs and TiVO mess up ratings
Blame economics: people are working harder, watching less
Blame weather: daylight-savings has people outside later
Blame calendars: end of school... people are crazed.

Blame it all. Blame George Bush--just don't fix the content.

Sitcoms. Reality TV. Dramas. News-magazines. Contrived content. Phony-baloney doesn't cut it anymore. We're living in an age of authenticity. Give viewers something worthy of watching and they will.

I'm not a fan of American Idol, but you can't argue results. In a special production, American Idol Gives Back,  major stars performed to benefit a charity. It was genuine and authentic and entertaining and it drew an audience almost larger than all four of the other nets COMBINED.

It's an example of alignment, the beginning stage of attraction marketing. When you become aligned with consumer desire, you create a magnetic draw and pull business to you. Because alignment's draw is  authentic, this business don't just buy, they bond.

Bonding is a deeper step of the process we cover soon. Till then, take stock of your messaging and see if there's enough evidence to convict you of being aligned with your customers.